Island Life Magazine Ltd December 2015 / January 2016 | Page 119

walls suffer rising damp. As the natural
water table rises, the build up of
ground moisture will be forced to the
side walls, and up the internal walls.
Period property home owners may
find signs of slate at the base of an
external wall. This would indicate that
an early damp proof course (DPC) has
been used to help with minimising
the ingress of moisture within the
masonry and any timbers used in the
construction. Many properties built
before 1875 would have solid built
walls, and no DPC at all.
The benefits of using the correct
materials when maintaining a period
property will not only protect the
internal and external walls, but will
greatly improve the appearance, as
damp walls will always look unsightly.
The removal of cement hard renders,
cement pointing and layers of paint,
will help greatly with the long term
preservation of any home.
For example, Lower Watchingwell,
near Shalfleet, a grade II listed property,
built in 1607, was showing many signs
of inappropriate repairs, carried out
using cement mortars and modern
plasters. The owners were concerned

that dampness was causing internal
damage to their home. They contacted
Wight Heritage Preservation to carry
out a survey. The lime mortar and
masonry restoration was carried out
shortly after.
The owners were over the moon with
the results, stating “Not only has the
team from Wight Heritage Preservation
restored the exterior to it’s former glory,
but the issues we had with dampness
have completely disappeared. We
couldn’t be happier.”
Contact Wight Heritage Preservation
on 01983 522396 or visit www.
wightheritagepreservation.co.uk
www.visitilife.com

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